High-impact spray nozzles are used in various industrial and other applications where a spray of high-pressure fluid (e.g., water or air) is required. For instance, high-impact water sprays are used in steel industry to de-scale rolled steel sheets. For industrial applications, the highest impact per unit area achievable is an important performance parameter for a high impact spray nozzle. Moreover, a high-impact spray nozzle is typically designed to provide a well-defined spray pattern with substantially even pressure within the pattern. To provide spray nozzles of the highest quality, it is of critical importance to be able to actually measure the characteristics, such as the pressure distribution and shape, of the spray pattern produced by a high-impact nozzle.
The high pressure of the spray from a high-impact nozzle, however, can make it very difficult to obtain reliable and repeatable readings of the fluid pressure at different points in the spray pattern. Accordingly, there has been a need for an impact testing system that can be used to accurately determine the spray characteristics of the spray pattern generated by a high-impact spray nozzle.